The battle between Telecom Italia and the shareholders resisting its €26bn ($30bn) merger with its parent Olivetti has escalated with one shareholder taking the case to court and Deminor, the activist group, revealing more objectors to the deal.

Liverpool Limited Partnership, the Bermuda-based fund and veteran campaigner for minority shareholder rights in Italy, has brought a case against Olivetti to prevent it voting in Telecom Italia's shareholder meeting this Saturday.